Chocolate Chess Pie

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Easy Chocolate Chess Pie recipe

One of the easiest pie you’ll ever make!

Chess pies have been around for centuries and were originally brought to the new world by English settlers. Chocolate Chess Pie is one of our favorites and is super easy to make!

If you love a fudgy, rich and silky pie loaded with deep chocolate flavor then this is the pie for you. The simple custard is whisked together then poured into a deep-dish pie crust and baked to golden perfection.

This soft but fully cooked custard pie reminds me of a fudgy brownie that married chocolate cream pie. The rich filling slices beautifully but is still very soft, silky and creamy. This is chocolate pie perfection!

Overview of ingredients:

• granulated sugar for the filling plus 1 teaspoon to sprinkle on top before baking
• Dutch-process cocoa powder or unsweetened cocoa powder – we are partial to Dutch-process cocoa while gives it rich but milk deep chocolate flavor
• all-purpose flour to help bind the filling together
• a few tablespoons of cornmeal to create the nice firm top crust
• salt
• evaporated milk for richness and the silky texture
• unsalted butter
• vanilla extract
• four large eggs plus 1 egg yolk for creaminess
• one unbaked 9-inch deep-dish pie crust

How to make Chocolate Chess Pie

1. Preheat the oven and baking stone

Place a baking stone or rimmed baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.

2. Prepare the pie crust

For this recipe you’ll need a homemade or store-bought 9-inch deep-dish unbaked pie shell. If using store-bought we recommend using a refrigerated crust, not frozen.

Roll out the pie pastry and fit into a good quality aluminum or steel pie pan. Crimp the edges and set aside.

3. Make the pie filling

In a large bowl whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, flour, cornmeal and salt.

In a large measuring cup whisk together the evaporated milk, melted butter and vanilla extract. Pour the milk mixture into the flour and cocoa and whisk until blended. Add the eggs and egg yolk and whisk just until combined.

Pour the filling to the prepared pie crust and carefully place the pie directly on the hot stone. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until the center of the pie is just set and not watery when jiggled. The center should register 180 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer.

Transfer the baked pie to a wire rack and let cool completely before cutting.

4. Serve and enjoy!

Slice and serve at room temperature with a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

How to prevent a soggy bottom

For single crust pie recipes when the filling is baked in the crust, we turn to this simple method to ensure the crust will bake up firm and crisp, with no soggy bottom.

Before preheating the oven place a pizza-style baking stone or heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet in the oven. Preheat the stone while the oven preheats.

Once assembled the unbaked pie crust complete with filling is placed directly on the hot stone. This method ensures the bottom starts baking immediately and doesn’t get soggy.

Why we love this baking method

Not only is this method fool-proof, quick and easy, it also ensures that the crust doesn’t over-bake before the filling is set.

No more covering the edges of the crust with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning, which is a terribly tedious task to do while the pie is still trying to bake.

We still par-bake or blind-bake pie crusts whenever the recipe calls for a no-baking filling like our Icebox Strawberry Pie.

Try this easy tip and let us know what you think!

How to store Chocolate Chess Pie

Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for longer storage.

You can also freeze leftover slices of Chocolate Chess Pie. Seal in an airtight container and thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

Bring the pie to room temperature before serving.

What is a chess pie?

Chess pies are really just a catch-all phrase that applies to many kinds of baked custard pies. The eggy fillings are baked right in the pie crust and often include cornmeal as one of the ingredients.

The cornmeal rises to the top as the pie bakes creating a nice crispy crust to cover the filling.

One of our favorites is Lemon Chess Pie. This tangy, tart pie is like a cross between lemon bars, lemon curd and lemon icebox pie. It’s a must-make pie for lemon lovers!

There’s many variations of chess pie like buttermilk, original chess pie and coconut chess pie to name a few.

52 Pies

Way back in 2011 I thought it’d be a great idea to make a pie each week for the entire year. I’ve been baking pies since I was 10 years old but this incredible project really honed my skills.

Chocolate chess pie was number 42 in our lineup and remains a memorable favorite. It’s great to make anytime of year.

After more than 12 years of blogging we’ve published more than 88 tested pie recipes. Check out the archives and see if you can find a few to try.

Whether you’re an experienced baker or first time pie maker, we can help!

Thanks for PINNING!

Chocolate Chess Pie

A simple and easy to make pie that’s rich and fudgy with a silky texture and deep chocolate flavor.

For a simple short-cut use store-bought refrigerated pie crust. Enjoy topped with lightly sweetened whipped cream or serve plain.

This pie is worth every calorie!

Originally published October 2011, updated April 2022